NASCAR at Martinsville 2020 Results: Chase Elliott Wins; Championship 4 Set

Chase Elliott claimed victory in the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Elliott was facing a must-win situation to qualify for the Championship 4 in the season finale, so the result means the 24-year-old will be racing for his first NASCAR Cup Series title next week. He held off Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch.

Logano, Keselowski and Denny Hamlin join Elliott in the championship round following Sunday's race.

Elliott effectively leapfrogged Kevin Harvick. Harvick's desperation to stay in the top four was evident when he seemed to intentionally wreck Kyle Busch on the final lap to gain one more spot in the leaderboard. The strategy backfired as he spun into the inside wall.

Entering the day, Logano was the only driver who had guaranteed himself a final four berth after winning the Hollywood Casino 400, leaving seven drivers fighting for three spots.

Harvick seemed to be in a safe position since 42 points separated him from Alex Bowman in fifth place. However, a season that included a series-high nine victories won't end with a points championship.

During the second stage, Matt Kenseth bumped Harvick on the left side. The left rear tire on the No. 4 car was punctured and went flat, requiring Harvick to make a green-flag pit stop.

As a result, Harvick lost valuable time and spent a lot of the race running one or two laps off the lead. Thanks to his overall point total, he still had a shot of remaining in the top four despite how poorly his race was going.

Harvick received a lifeline when there was a question as to whether Chase Elliott would be penalized for having one of his crew members jump over the wall too soon. NASCAR didn't levy a penalty, but Elliott had still fallen out of first place by the time he returned to the track.

Elliott had another poor pit stop in the final stage, which was more good news for Harvick. Even better for the 2014 series champion, Keselowski was penalized for speeding on pit road. Harvick remained safe even with Martin Truex Jr., who was in seventh place in the points standings, running atop the field.

That set the stage for a pair of dramatic battles. Elliott and Truex were jostling for the lead, and Harvick was desperately attempting to fend off Hamlin and Keselowski in the championship chase.

Truex's evening quickly took a turn when he complained of a loose front tire on the right side. He tumbled down the leaderboard before going to pit road, all but sealing his fate.

That allowed Elliott to cruise to the finish line with ease. The same couldn't be said for the fourth place in the championship round. Harvick's gambit showed how slim the margins were between him and the pair of Hamlin and Keselowski.

The 2020 season concludes Nov. 8 with the Bluegreen Vacations 500 at Phoenix Raceway. The event is shaping up to be another white-knuckle affair.